1. Field of Invention
This specification discloses relocatable (e.g., attachable and removable from a variety of locations) charms, trinkets, or other ornaments (collectively “ornaments”) and related methods of use and construction.
2. Background
On occasion, populations of people simultaneously wear or possess on their respective persons items with shared characteristics. For instance, it is not uncommon for populations of people attending a sporting event to simultaneously wear sweatshirts or hoodies (“hooded sweatshirts”), wherein said sweatshirts or hoodies share characteristics (e.g., similar colors, a torso, neck hole, and sleeves). Under such circumstances, individuals within said population may be desirous of differentiating, beyond any inherently distinctive features, their personal item from the other similar items within the population. Accordingly, there is a need for apparatus and related methods of differentiating an item from other items with similar characteristics.
On other occasions, a subpopulation of people within a general population must wear or possess on their respective person items that are undesirable or anathema in appearance to the general population. For instance, some children within a group of children at a school may require vision assistance in the form of glasses, wherein the wearing of glasses has been deemed unpopular by the group. For another instance, sometimes individuals must wear clothing (e.g., shoes, sweatshirts, glasses, bags, backpacks, and the like) that is of an outdated style or of a tattered condition, wherein said style or condition may be unfavorable to society. In such circumstances, a need arises for apparatus and related methods of improving the appearance of an item.
Some proposals for meeting the above identified needs involve the attachment of an ornament to the item to be distinguished or aesthetically improved. For instance: U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,787 (issued Aug. 5, 1997), U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,128 (issued Nov. 6, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,635 (issued Feb. 18, 2003), D376811 (issued Dec. 24, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,655 (issued Jul. 14, 2009), U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,693 (issued Mar. 19, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,234 (issued Nov. 3, 1992), U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,620 (issued Mar. 20, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,991 (issued Nov. 10, 1981), U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,304 (issued Aug. 8, 1978), U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,724 (issued Jul. 6, 1954), U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,834 (issued Nov. 29, 1955), U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,063 (issued May 20, 1958), D635608 (issued Apr. 5, 2011), 589184 (issued Apr. 20, 1999), U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,509 (issued Sep. 18, 1984), U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,795 (issued Sep. 14, 1976), U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,258 (issued May 22, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,956 (issued Dec. 4, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,211 (issued Mar. 5, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,988 (issued Oct. 14, 1997) (see also U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,213 (issued Feb. 22, 2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,214 (issued Jan. 29, 2008)), and D564574 (issued Mar. 18, 2008) disclose apparatus and related methods for the attachment of an ornament to the frame of eyeglasses; U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,836 (issued Apr. 20, 2010), D598314 (issued Jul. 2, 2009), and D604940 (issued Dec. 1, 2009) disclose apparatus and related methods for the attachment of an ornament to a shoe or shoe lace; D598314 (issued Jul. 2, 2009), D604940 (issued Dec. 1, 2009), D161005 (issued Nov. 28, 1950), and D343139 (issued Jan. 11, 1994) disclose apparatus and related methods for the attachment of an ornament to a scarf, tie, pull-string and the like; D630,549 (issued Jan. 11, 2011), U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,546 (issued Feb. 22, 2000), U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,758 (issued Aug. 11, 1992), U.S. Pat. No. 2,221,759 (issued Nov. 19, 1940), and U.S. Pat. No. 2,145,118 (issued Jan. 24, 1939) disclose apparatus and related methods for the attachment of an ornament to zippers; and, U.S. Pat. No. 0,301,133 (issued Jul. 1, 1884), U.S. Pat. No. 0,737,085 (issued Aug. 25, 1903), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,723 (issued Aug. 25, 1992) disclose apparatus and related methods for the attachment of an ornament to a writing implement or other rod-like item. Although capable of differentiating or improving the appearance of an item, such apparatus and methods for the attachment of an ornament to an item have not been entirely satisfactory since said apparatus and methods are either: (1) not universal (i.e., are limited to a specific genus of item and/or further limited to a specific species within a genus of items); or (2) feature complicated attachment mechanisms so that the ornament becomes difficult to relocate after attachment. Accordingly, there remains a need for apparatus and related methods of differentiating an item or improving the appearance of an item.
With respect to items with rod-like or string-like components, one way to somewhat universalize an ornamental apparatus for differentiating an item or improving the appearance of the item is to provide a loop or sleeve type structure for the attaching receipt of the rod or string component of the item. Examples of this type of apparatus populate the group of above recited patents. However, known loop or sleeve type structures, whether elastic or not, have not been entirely suitable for rending an ornamental apparatus universal to items with rod-like or string-like components. One unsatisfactory aspect results from rod or string like components of a genus of items varying substantially in diameter so that a universal loop or sleeve structure on an ornament attachment must be exceedingly elastic or have a complicated adjustment system to be universal. Exceedingly elastic loop or sleeve structures have yet been unpreferable in attachable ornaments since the elastic forces, when exerted, may deform the ornamental aspects of the attachment. Adjustment systems are unpreferable due to complexity. Accordingly, there remains a need for a universal apparatus and related methods of differentiating an item or improving the appearance of an item, wherein the item features rod or string like components.